The road to Spiritual Darkness

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GRAB YOUR BIBLES Romans 1:16-22
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Today my message is going to be about....... “Spiritual darkness”:
(And those that are overcome by it!)
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LETS READ THE TEXT Romans 1:16-22
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This passage makes it clear....that no one has an excuse to be in Darkness!
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V.16A “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:”
-THE GREATEST MESSAGE........THAT THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN-
(That is attacked more than any other
Because Satan wants us to shut up:
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So don’t be ashamed of it!
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V.16B “for it is the power of God unto salvation”
-THE REASON......SATAN HATES IT......SO MUCH-
(Because it’s the only thing
That can free people...from their bondage to sin:
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Church membership can’t do that!
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V.16C “to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
-THE BEATING HEART.....OF THE GOSPEL MESSAGE-
(The makes the Gospel unique to Christianity
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(1) The only requirement......is to believe:
(2) And this offer.......is available to everyone!
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V.17A “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed”
-THE GOSPEL....REVEALS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD-
(When it is preached and believed upon
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-THE THREE WAYS..... “GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS” IS REVEALED-
(1) God righteousness......in His judgement:
(2) God’s righteousness......in Jesus Christ:
(3) God’s righteousness......in the saved!
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V.17B “from faith to faith:”
-THE BEATING HEART....OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE-
(“Faith”
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Not the noun...but the verb:
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-THE NOUN OF FAITH, IS..... “THE FAITH”-
That fact established in Eph.2:8,9 “For by..”
True salvation can only be attained by Faith!
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-BUT.....THE VERB IS..... “LIVING BY FAITH”-
The beating heart....of the Christian life:
Is to live each day.... “by faith”!
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V.17C “as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”
-THE ONLY CHOICE........GOD GIVES HUMANITY-
(To gain eternal life......by faith
Or to die....and go to Hell:
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The only way to make to heaven:
Is to trust Christ as your personal savior!
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-THE OTHER SIDE......OF A LIFE OF FAITH-
The power that’s released:
When we live each day.....”by faith”!
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When we live each day....trusting the Lord
It does wonderful things in us:
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& it makes us...the kind of people we should be!
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V.18A “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven”
-THE REASON THE WORLD.....NEEDS THE GOSPEL MESSAGE-
(Because God hates sin
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And the Gospel....is the ONLY cure for sin!
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V.18B “against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men,”
-THE OTHER SIDE.......OF GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS-
(He “must”......punish sinners
Who refuse to repent and trust Christ:
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If God didn’t do this...He wouldn’t be righteous!
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V.18C “who hold the truth in unrighteousness;”
-THE PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS.....OF GOD’S JUDGEMENT-
(Because he doesn’t punish.....all sinners
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Only those sinners...who know they are sinners:
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Those who have reached the age of accountability:
And then....go on to reject the Lord!
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V.19 “Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them;”
“for God hath shewed [it] unto them.”
-THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.....WITHIN EVERY ADULT HUMAN BEING-
(God makes Himself “manifest” in them
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God personally shows Himself to everyone:
So that He is righteous...in His judgement of them:
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So that they won’t have any excuses!
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V.20A “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen,”
“being understood by the things that are made,”
“[even] his eternal power and Godhead;”
-THE WAY GOD ASSURES US....THAT EVERYONE KNOWS ABOUT HIM-
(By the undeniable message...of natural revelation
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Natural revelation....gives people all they need:
To push them on.....to learn about Jesus Christ:
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If......they choose to look for Him!
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V.20B “so that they are without excuse:”
-THIS IS A NECESSARY PART....OF GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS-
(Only judging people....who rejected Him
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Therefore.....noone will ever go to hell:
Who didn’t understand who God was:
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Like children....or the mentally ill!
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V.21A “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God,”
-THE NEED FOR MAN TO RESPOND.....TO THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF GOD-
(To glorify Him....as the creator
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-CHOOSE YOU THIS DAY..... WHOM YOU WILL SERVE-
No human being will be allowed:
To just....stand on the sidelines of life:
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(1) You either trust Jesus as your Savior:
(2) Or your are “God’s enemy”!
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V.21B “neither were thankful;”
-A KEY RESPONSE.....GOD LOOKS FOR FROM MANKIND-
(Regardless of who you are
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He wants us to be thankful to Him:
For the wonderful life He has given us:
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This is pleasing....to the LORD!
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V.21C “but became vain in their imaginations,”
-THE FIRST STEP....OF GOD’S JUDGEMENT UPON SINNERS-
(Removing Himself from their minds..more & more
As they repeatedly reject His authority over them:
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Note: As a sinner repeatedly rejects the truth:
God continues to release them....to themselves!
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V.21D “and their foolish heart was darkened.”
-THE CONDITION OF A HEART.....THAT REPEATEDLY REJECTS GOD’S LIGHT-
(It’s in darkness)
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The LORD will give every individual:
Exactly what they want!
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He doesn’t force Himself on anybody!
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V.22 “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,”
-THE FIRST STEP......OF THEIR SELF DESTRUCTION-
(“Professing themselves to be wise”
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This “shuts them off”...from God’s light!
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